Henlo and welcome my little Nuggies, to the rewrite (again) of His Legacy. As you can see I've switched the title (again) and hopefully I'll be more satisfied with this rewrite than I was with the last one. I have kept some things the same while others have changed completely and I do dearly hope that you enjoy the story as much as I hope to enjoy writing it.

Rating: M

Pairings: Ash KetchumxCaellum Grey

Chapter Warnings: Heart Wrenching. (Honestly I shed a few tears writing a portion of this)

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon! I do however own my OC characters and my eevee-lution(s)!

This is what Pokéspeak looks like.

Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review!

Ash sat in the Center's waiting room for hours as he waited on any news of Magikarp and Feebas. When he brought them in, Nurse Joy was shocked at their state and quickly took them back without a word to him though she did give him a dirty look. He had moved over to the waiting room with Pikachu and Metang and just sat there hoping for news any moment.

Ash time went by and the sun began to set leaving the few lasting rays filtering through the window to travel across the floor leaving shadows to move their way across the floor. It didn't take long for the automatic lights to flicker on once the sun had set. The artificial lights were harsh on his eyes, but he didn't dare close them.

"Mr. Ketchum."

The female voice cut through the silence jolting him from his thoughts. Looking up he saw Nurse Joy standing beside him and briefly he wondered how he never heard her footsteps coming to him across the linoleum flooring. He stood up quickly and turned to her. "Are they going to be okay?" Ash asked softly and he saw her expression soften.

Nurse Joy gave him a small smile and nodded before saying, "They are going to be just fine. I would like to ask how two pokémon in your care got that bad?"

Ash shook his head as he explained, "I just captured them. Honestly! I was relaxing by a pond near here when Pikachu stayed by the shoreline instead of doing his laps. When I went over to see what was wrong Magikarp was there. I gave it some food and then Magikarp led me to this rock formation thing and Feebas was trapped in a large tidal pool."

The Nurse stood there and listened to his explanation before nodding. The teens face was expressive and she could tell he wasn't lying. "Well, since you did capture them I am obligated to tell you how they are doing medically. They are both very malnourished and are bruised deeply though not bad enough to need a full restore. Your Magikarp seems to be in a better shape than Feebas and his cut off whiskers will grow back with enough nutrients. Feebas on the other hand. On top of the physical injures and being malnourished she has two broken vertebrae that are beginning to heal wrong. If its not corrected soon she won't be able to survive on her own, will need assistance swimming, and might even need to be put down," she explained softly.

Ash looked at the Nurse with wide eyes. Put down? Holding back tears he licked his lips and asked, "What needs done?"

Nurse Joy gave him a soft smile before explaining that Feebas would need to be taken into surgery, but unfortunately she couldn't perform it here as she didn't have the right equipment to do surgery on a water pokémon. Feebas would need to be taken to a specialty PokéHospital and Rehabilitation Center and the closest one is in Vermilion. The doctors there would explain more to him about the type of surgery she needed and how long healing and rehabilitation would be.

"I won't lie and say that this will be cheap," she added, "it will be expensive, but places like the PokéHospital tend to have payment plans and discounts. They won't just turn you away."

Ash nodded slowly before he asked if he could visit them. Nurse Joy turned from him and began to lead him behind her counter to the back in the Center. As they walked he saw other pokémon in closed off rooms under some medical equipment or another. Slowly the rooms turned into one large one that had an open aquarium type pool in it and swimming around near the surface was Magikarp. Looking around he didn't see Feebas until Nurse Joy pointed her out in a smaller tank to keep her from moving so much. The little purple fish was sleeping.

He thanked the Nurse before she left to give him some time with the water types. Walking over to the edge of the pool he knelt to get as close as he could. "Hey Magikarp," Ash said softly as he gave the golden fish a small smile, "good news! You're going to be just fine and your whiskers will grow back!"

He watched as Magikarp swam in a small fast circle before looking up at him. The fish turned to look at where Feebas was before turning back to him and let out a small bubble of air. "Fe-Feebas," Ash said, stuttering a small bit as he looked over at her then back to Magikarp, "She's hurt real bad, Magikarp. If she doesn't get serious help she'll have to be put down."

The shiny fish let out a series of bubbles as if he were angry or desperate for help. "It's going to be okay though," Ash said as he reached down and ran his hand over the golden scales, "We'll get her the help she needs, but Magikarp, her recovery is going to be long and she's gonna need us to help her more than ever, okay?"

Ash watched as Magikarp gave him a nod before swimming over to where he could look at Feebas. He waited a few moments before getting up and walking over to the smaller tank. He didn't reach his hand in for anything he just looked her over and spoke softly to her. "You'll be okay, beautiful," he said softly as he placed his hand on the glass of the tank, "You're going to get some help and then you'll be able to swim as much as you want to. You'll be able to hunt and swim and dive as far as you want. You'll be okay."

He stayed with her for a few moments just watching her slow and steady breathing before moving away to go back to his room. He released Metang before sitting on the edge of the bed and pondered what he was going to do. He was a new trainer. Literally not even a full week into his journey and this happens. He knew he wouldn't change anything even if he could go back in time, but this was a lot on a new trainer. One who doesn't even have the funds to afford the surgery one of his pokémon needed.

Laying back onto the bed Ash took in a deep shuddering breath before the tears, he had so carefully not let loose, fall. He felt like an absolute mess. He felt Pikachu curl up close to him and Metang lay one of his hands on him as if to comfort him. He stayed like that not moving an inch until he had no more tears to let loose.

Ash moved to sit up on the bed with his back to the headboard and grabbed his Xtransceiver. A crazy idea popped up into his head and he didn't care how late it was as he started to call his Uncle Lance. He knew the man was busy and all, but the man had always made time to talk to him.

His Xtransceiver rung, and rung, and rung, and just as Ash was about to give up and end the call his Uncle picked up. "Ash?" Lance asked through the phone. His Uncle was sitting up in his bed, shirtless, and with a sleepy look on his face. In the corner of the screen Ash could see a pile of scales of his pokémon curled up and asleep.

"Hi Uncle Lance," Ash said softly and gave the man a small smile in greeting.

Lance looked over his nephew and saw the red rimmed eyes, pale skin, and tear lined cheeks. Sitting up now more awake he asked, "What's wrong?"

Ash opened his mouth a few times as if to speak but nothing came out. He licked his lips and cleared his throat before choking out, "I need your help," he confessed before blurting out everything else, "I captured a pokémon today and she's in real bad shape. Nurse Joy said that if she doesn't get help she'll have to be put down, and I can't afford it! Please Uncle Lance. I'll pay you back I promise, just please, help her!"

He didn't think he had other tears to cry after all he had already shed, but he was proven wrong as hot tears rolled down his cheeks. He swallowed around a lump that formed in his throat as his emotions got the better of him. He heard his Uncle making soft shushing noises and saying soft words as the older man watched his nephew cry.

It took a few minutes until Ash got the crying under control and the only thing they heard was his hitching breaths as he got his breathing under control as well. "What do you need?" Lance asked once the teen was able to converse with him.

Ash shook his head, "I-I don't know," he said as he sniffled, "Nurse Joy said she's going to need to be transferred to the PokéHospital in Vermilion and they would go over everything I would need to know including financial. She said she needed the surgery real soon and that it wasn't cheap."

Lance nodded and sat back against his own headboard. "How about this," Lance said after a bit of silence, "I will come over early in the morning and get you. I'll take you to Vermilion and pay for her surgery. Afterwards I'll take you wherever you need to go. You don't need to pay me back. You're family. You just take care of her and let her live the life she wants. You got that?"

Ash gave him a small smile and nodded, "Promise."

Lance returned the smile and gave Ash a nod, "Right. I'll be there about eight so get some rest and I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay," Ash said as he laid down on his own bed, "Night Uncle Lance."

Lance gave him a bit of a bigger smile before saying goodnight though he didn't hang up until he saw his nephew was fast asleep.

The next morning Ash was in a rush. He had gotten up later than he wanted and had to scurry to get all his things packed along with telling Nurse Joy that he was taking Magikarp and Feebas today. He had just finished his breakfast when his Uncle Lance walked through the cafeteria doors with Nurse Joy beside him.

Getting up Ash shouldered his bag and grabbed Pikachu before hurrying over to his Uncle. After exchanging a few words Ash left to go gather Magikarp and Feebas while his Uncle went to the front of the Center. It was no surprise that Lance had a gathering when he got back to the front seeing as he didn't bother getting into disguise today.

Recalling Magikarp and Feebas took no time at all and soon enough Ash was back in the front with his Uncle while Pikachu moved to his shoulder. It took a few moments but soon enough the crowd that had gathered inside and in front of the Center dispersed as Lance released his two Dragonites, Agni and Shula.

"Get on. Nurse Joy said she'll call ahead and let them know we're on our way," Lance said as he gestured to Shula, the smaller of the two dragons and the more friendlier. Ash nodded and clambered onto the massive back of Shula and made sure he was secured and that Pikachu was tucked into his bag before Shula jumped into the air.

The journey in the air was a quiet and fast one if one ignored the roaring winds. Words weren't exchanged, but that was fine with Ash, his head was in a whirlwind at the moment about Feebas. It seemed as though only a few moments had passed when Shula started her descent to the ground. After getting off her back it took Ash a few seconds before the feelings came back to his legs and the dragon was recalled.

He looked around as he followed Lance through the cobbled streets, since he hadn't been here before, and took in the sea side town that was Vermilion. The buildings were sparse, but it seemed like a lot was going on in the town. He saw sailors wandering to and from the docks and he saw large ships at the port as well as a few speedboats. He saw a few pokémon in the water and above it as Wingull flew and dipped down to the water.

"Uncle Lance," Ash said softly, causing the man to come to a stop, "Thanks for this. For helping me I mean." Lance gave the small teen a smile before pulling him into a tight hug.

"No need for thanks Kiddo," he said as he felt the smaller arms wrap around his waist, "Love ya kid."

Ash let out a small laugh as he pulled away and looked up at him, "Love you too Uncle Lance."

They both started walking towards the docks where a large, but one story, building sat with a large red cross on it. As they got closer to the building Ash could make out the words PokéHospital and Rehabilitation Center under the red cross. The door automatically opened for them and a male voice greeted.

"Welcome to the PHRC," a small male said behind the receptionist desk. He had bright blue hair and green eyes. He wore dark blue scrubs and had a few tattoos on his arms as well as a couple of piercings in his ears. He also had a name tag on that said his name was Carson, "How can I help you?"

"Nurse Joy from Viridian should have called for us," Lance said as he approached the desk, "We have a Feebas that needs some help."

The green eyes lit up as he spoke, "Oh yes! She just called for a Mr. Ash Ketchum and she has already faxed over everything she had on the patient, Feebas. Since this is your first time here I'll need a few forms signed."

Ash watched as the man reached over and grabbed a clipboard that had paper on it as well as a pen before it was handed to him. He assumed that the man knew he was Ash since Lance was well known and that his name obviously couldn't be Ash. "When you're done filling these out just bring them right back up here and I'll take you to the back where Dr. Henway will see you," Carson said with a smile and gestured over to where Ash could sit to fill out the papers.

The papers were the usual kind one would fill out going to a doctor for the first time, but it was more centered about the pokémon being seen since it only asked him for his name, address, sex, Trainer ID, and the number to contact him on. Honestly filling out the paper didn't take too long and soon enough they were being led to the back.

Carson led them down a long hallway that opened up to a large room. In the very center of the room was a large pool that already had a Gyarados in it as well as a few people helping it with something. Around the bigger pool had a bunch of smaller pools where Ash assumed is where the smaller pokémon were getting their rehabilitation. In the back there was a long staircase that led up to another floor where the offices would be located.

Along the edges of the room were several rooms that had large windows and Ash could see a few people in them with others that had white lab coats on. They were soon led to such a room and were told that Dr. Henway would be with them soon and that they were welcome to the water and snacks in the room.

Ash letting out a nervous sigh took a seat at the table while Lance looked around. Along the walls were pictures of water type pokémon and Ash could only guess that they were previous patients. Soon enough the door was being opened and a older doctor walked into the room. He had greying brown hair and kind hazel eyes and on his coat was a name tag with Henway on it.

"Morning," Henway said to Ash as he took the single seat opposite of the side Ash sat on, "Morning to you as well Champion Lance."

Ash sent the doctor a nod in greeting as he felt a lump in his throat grow as his nerves got the better of him. "Morning," Lance said and took the seat by Ash.

Henway set a folder on the table in front of himself before opening it and grabbing a pen from behind his ear. "Now," the older doctor began as he looked at Ash, "Tell me young man, how did you come by this Feebas?"

Ash swallowed around the lump in his throat as he spoke, "Caught her yesterday after another pokémon led me to her. She was trapped in a deep tidal pool and couldn't jump over the edge to get into the bigger lake."

Henway nodded and took a note on the paper before asking, "Now is she going to stay in your care after we help her or are you releasing her back out into the wild?"

"If she wants to stay with me then she will and I will take care of her," Ash said softly, "If she wants to go then I'll grant her wish and release her. I can't force her to stay."

The doctor looked at him with an indescribable look in his eye before replying, "And you are doing all of this to help a pokémon even though there's a possibility of her leaving you when this is all done?"

Ash licked his lips and nodded as he stared the doctor straight in his eyes, "Yes," he said confidently.

"Alright," Henway said as he reassuringly got his answer from the teen before him, "Now the surgery she needs is a tricky one, but one I have done before and will take about two hours to do. What I will be doing is going in and re-break the bones that have fused together before shaving down the excess bone. After the extra bone has been shaved down I will be placing a faux metal rod connecting the two vertebrae as well as a fake disk that should have been there in the first place. After the fake disk is in I will give her a shot of Ditto Cells straight to the areas affected to heal them then will be given a Full Restore to be sure there won't be any infection. The healing process after is a short one thanks to the Ditto Cells. The rehabilitation will also be short since none of her major organs were hurt during whatever happened to her. I would estimate three weeks before she can be released back into your care."

Ash sat there a bit overwhelmed over the influx of information that was given to him. He honestly thought that she would be there for longer than just three weeks. He honestly was amazed at how advanced medicine was.

"Any questions?" Henway asked as he looked between them.

"How much will this cost?" Lance asked as he looked over at his nephew in concern at how little the boy was reacting before looking at the doctor.

"With a procedure like this it's around six thousand pokédollars after discounts are applied," the older man replied, "you can either pay in small agreed upon payments or pay in full."

"I'll pay in full," Lance said as he gave the doctor a nod.

"Will having the metal rod in her affect her after evolution?" Ash piped up in a small voice.

Henway looked over at Ash and gave him a small reassuring smile, "No. In fact evolution can help her more than hinder her. In evolution the faux metal rod will disappear completely since evolving will cause more bones to grow in place of it giving her full movement in her tail."

Ash gave him a smile back before nodding. "Okay. Let's do this," he said with hope filling him, "Is it okay for Magikarp to see her before you take her back? He's been anxious to see her."

"Of course!" the doctor said as he nodded, "I'll lead you to the pool the surgery will be performed in and you can release them both in it." Ash followed suit as the doctor got up and led the way out of room. Once outside they were lead to one of the small pools in the back that had two people in scrubs by it. The doctor explained that these two were going to assist him in the surgery before telling Ash he can release the two in the pool.

Nodding Ash grabbed a ball in each hand and clicked the button when they were aimed at the water. Two beams of red revealing gold and purple as Magikarp and Feebas were released. Ash ignored the shock gasps of the assistants as he kneeled by the edge of the pool. He helped stabilize Feebas as Magikarp nuzzled the hurt female.

"Hey Magikarp, Feebas," Ash said, getting both of their attention, "Ready to get some help?" Ash gestured to the older man standing beside him and explained what was going on and what was going to happen. Magikarp let out a few bubbles of air through the water before doing a flip in the water. He was happy that the human was doing as promised and getting help for his mate. He nuzzled Feebas once more and he vowed to be back soon to see her before he was being called back.

"I'll see you soon okay, beautiful," Ash whispered softly to the Feebas gaining her attention fully despite hurting a lot, "You'll be back to your gorgeous self soon." Feebas gave him a small nod before closing her eyes and fell asleep.

Ash was then ushered to a waiting room with Lance to wait until Feebas was out of surgery. As he sat in a chair he couldn't help but think about all the things that could go wrong and he prayed to Arceus that nothing happened would go wrong.